Producers of packaged foods and beverages are increasing their product supplies in Ayodhya and launching on-site marketing campaigns to take advantage of the anticipated increase in visitors to the pilgrimage town in northern India before the temple inauguration on January 22nd.

The bottled water brand Bisleri is boosting its supplies along all road routes to the city and important consumption hubs in Ayodhya. Additionally, the company is in the process of establishing a plant within the city, expected to be operational in the coming months.

“We are ensuring responsible consumption and disposal of used plastic in collaboration with municipal authorities. We have a new plant coming up in Ayodhya which will be operational in a few months,” said Angelo George, CEO, Bisleri International.

The seven-day religious ceremonies for the Ayodhya Ram Temple’s ‘Pran Pratistha’ event, which began on January 16 and will extend until January 22, are anticipated to attract a substantial number of attendees. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the temple next week, likely resulting in hundreds of thousands of daily visitors by year-end. Companies are expressing expectations of increased religious tourism in the city, which has undergone recent infrastructure enhancements, including a modern airport and expanded roads.

Producers of packaged goods leverage such events to introduce new products and encourage trials for existing brands. These occasions also result in increased foot traffic, providing brands with the chance to execute on-site brand activations.

Parle Products, the packaged foods manufacturer, stated that the period leading up to the inauguration on January 22nd will be “significant.”

“We have significantly increased distribution across biscuits, confectionery and snacks across touch-points. Not just in Ayodhya, but even in nearby towns and cities. The company is also sampling brands across its portfolio,” said Krishnarao Buddha, senior category head, Parle Products.

Buddha compared the magnitude of the event to the Kumbh Mela, one of India’s largest religious gatherings, although the latter extends over a more extended period and experiences a more steady influx of pilgrims. Additionally, Parle has been a sponsor of “Ayodhya ki Ram Leela,” a two-hour play spanning 10 days for the past two years.

Dabur India, a domestic fast-moving consumer goods company, is expanding the distribution of its products in the city, anticipating an increase in demand for everyday essentials. The company is also allocating resources to on-site marketing initiatives, including the establishment of experience zones in the city for brands such as Real juices, Dabur Amla hair oil, and Dabur Vedic Tea, as stated by Mohit Malhotra, CEO of Dabur India Ltd. Dabur has formed partnerships with dhabas and eateries along the Lucknow, Gorakhpur, and Varanasi highways leading to Ayodhya. These establishments are being branded with key Dabur products like Hajmola and Real, accompanied by extensive sampling of the product range, according to a company spokesperson.

Coca-Cola, along with its bottling partners in the state, is enhancing the presence of vending machines in the region and collaborating with retailers to ensure sufficient stock of its smaller unit packs.

Approximately 50 reverse vending machines have been installed in the city, accompanied by supplementary infrastructure to guarantee round-the-clock service for retailers. The emphasis is also on providing an economical range of beverages priced at INR 10 and INR 20, according to a spokesperson.

Local convenience stores in the city are replenishing their stocks of puja samagri, including cotton wicks, ghee, oil, diyas, camphor, rice, wheat, honey, and other essentials, ahead of January 22. Kirana shop owners are also increasing their supplies of packaged sweets and chocolates, with 15% of retailers anticipating a surge in sales during the auspicious occasion. According to a survey by Kirana Club, a community of kirana owners, the third most stocked product at these stores in Ayodhya is chips and namkeens. Additionally, cold drinks, water, and personal care products like hair oil and soaps are among the other categories being boosted by local stores in the city.

Reliance Consumer Products, the fast-moving consumer products division of Reliance Retail, is expanding the distribution of its brands, including Independence bottled water, Campa fizzy drinks, and the snacking brand Alan’s Bugles, to further penetrate the Uttar Pradesh market.

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